THE MUM of death-crash victim Jolene Potter-Connolly today paid tribute to her daughter who 'grabbed everything life had to offer'.

Marcia Connolly, 41, spoke out after the driver responsible for her daughter's death was jailed for four and a half years.

"Jolene was a young woman who had her whole life in front of her, having just completed her degree," she said.

And she revealed how Jolene was ready to jet off for a new life in the United States, with her fiancé Jon Eichner.

Both were in Leeds Crown Court yesterday - along with other family and friends - to see Eton Brewins jailed.

Brewins, 26, of Field Head, Shepley, was found guilty by a majority of 10 to two by a jury at Leeds Crown Court yesterday of causing Jolene's death by dangerous driving.

The jury, which took 10 hours to reach a verdict, had earlier failed to come to a decision on a charge of manslaughter.

The proceedings arose following an early hours nightclub bust-up outside Visage in Folly Hall on September 11 last year.

Jolene, 23, of Broken Cross, Almondbury, was acting as peacemaker between two groups arguing in the car park when Brewins reversed his Ford Escort with the passenger door open and knocked her to the ground.

He then drove forward, over her, dragging her body under his car for 168m.

Mrs Connolly, who said Jolene was more like a sister than a daughter, said: "Jolene was a young woman who had her whole life in front of her, having just completed her degree.

"She was just about to emigrate to America to be with her fiancé, Jon.

"Her plane ticket was booked and paid for and this was supposed to be just a night out with her sister, one of the last opportunities she would have before embarking on her new life.

"She never got the chance to catch that plane.

"Instead, I had to go to collect her degree for her. It was awarded posthumously , but it should have been her up on that stage not me."

Mrs Connolly said not only did her daughter grab everything life had to offer, she also gave back.

She told the Examiner how when Jolene was studying abroad in the United States she took time from her studies to help charities.

She added: "She became a volunteer at an organisation called the Giving Tree in Atlanta which is a foster home for children who have suffered abuse. She also worked as a volunteer at a rape crisis centre."

Mrs Connolly said in a way all the good work that her daughter did was still being carried on with money being collected in her memory going to the West Yorkshire Forget-Me-Not Trust towards a hospice for terminally-ill children.

She added: "While I am disappointed the verdict was not manslaughter, whatever it was, it would not have brought my daughter back."

* THE final act in a tragedy came shortly after 11am yesterday.

It was then that a jury at Leeds Crown Court decided that a young Huddersfield woman had been killed by an irresponsible driver.

Eton Brewins is today starting a four and a half year jail sentence for causing the death of Miss Jolene Potter-Connolly.

But her fiancé, her family and friends are still struggling to come to terms with her death.

Jolene's fiancé Jon Eichner, 31, who she met while studying in the United States as part of a Huddersfield University course, had also been present throughout the nine-day trial.

He said: "There isn't a day that goes by when I don't think about Jolene, the love that we have for each other and the life we were to start together."

The pair had met in a bar in Jon's home town of Atlanta, and almost immediately fell in love.

Jon, a website and graphics designer, proposed to Jolene in Blackpool in July 2001.

Sister Tonya, 20, who had been out with Jolene the night she was killed, said: "Jolene did so much with her life which many people couldn't even imagine doing.

"She was my role model and I looked up to her.

"She changed so many people's lives and gave so much to everyone."

Jolene's best friend, Louise O'Sullivan, 25, of Newsome, said: "Jolene was and always will be my best friend.

"We had so many great times together and we worked together at St Patrick's Catholic Centre. We had great holidays and she was a lot of fun to be with.

"I am honoured to have been a part of her life and to have known her as my best friend.

"She will never be forgotten."

Det Con Martin Gumersell, of West Yorkshire Police, was part of the investigating team followiung Jolene's tragic death.

He said: "I am pleased that the police have been able to offer some support and comfort to Jolene's family resulting in the conviction of Brewins."